


Crimson and Cracks

by nickelkeep



Series: Nickelkeep's SPN Femslash Feb 2019 [20]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Femslash February, Femslash February 2019, First Meetings, Heavy Angst, Lost Love, SPN Femslash February, Supernatural Femslash February
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 16:11:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17870474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickelkeep/pseuds/nickelkeep
Summary: Rowena is holding the rift open for the Winchesters to come back from the Alternate Universe. The last thing she expects is to see the face that has been haunting her dreams.





	Crimson and Cracks

**Author's Note:**

> For the 2019 SPN Femslash February.
> 
> Day 20: Red
> 
> As always, constructive critiques are welcome and helpful.
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://nickelkeep.tumblr.com/) and [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/nickelkeep)

Ketch came through first. Rowena wasn’t surprised to see him, but that’s not who she was worried about. Then other familiar faces. Mary. Jack. Castiel. Some new faces. She was getting dizzy, keeping the spell going. She needed Sam and Dean to come through. When the shock of familiar red hair through, Rowena had to take not only a second look, but a third and fourth.

“Charlie?” Her voice barely above a whisper, and her heart stuck in her throat. She started to falter but felt a warm comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Castiel giving her a sympathetic look. “Tis her?”

“Not your Charlie, Rowena. Let me support you, help you keep the spell going, and then we can explain.”

Rowena felt the wind and hope knocked out of her. Her heart was breaking again, despite the wound from before never truly healing. She looked at the redhead who was looking at her in awe, admiring her spell work, and felt a tear slide down her cheek. “Aye, Castiel. The boys?”

“They shouldn’t be too far behind.”

Rowena nodded and refocused on the spell. She felt a shiver of grace flow through her, and her muscles relaxed. Her power surged, and the rift flared stronger.

A few more people came through, but still no Sam or Dean. Everyone was splitting their focus between the rift and Rowena. Rowena looked up to Castiel who looked at her, worried. She could tell he was debating if he should go back through the portal when Dean suddenly came stumbling through. He met with his angel, and they turned to face portal.

Sam came crashing through a moment later. “Rowena, close it! Now!”

Rowena slammed the rift shut before collapsing at Castiel and Dean’s feet. She could hear the cheers and applause around her, but all she could do was allow herself to cry as Dean embraced her tightly.

***

“Ro, we can explain.” Sam had made her a cup of tea and slid it in front of her.

“I found this version of Charlie while looking for Mom and Jack.” Dean cut in. “Ketch and I rescued her from an Angel Execution squad.” When Rowena didn’t respond, he continued. “You know how I feel about what happened to our Charlie.”

Rowena stiffened, but didn’t say a word. She moved for the sugar bowl that the boys kept for her.

Sam ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh. “We didn’t think to tell you about this Charlie, because we didn’t think you would find out about her. We didn’t think that she would come to this universe. We thought that if you didn’t know…”

“That it wouldn’t reopen the hurt that we were already feeling.” Dean finished for his brother. “She was our little sister, but Ro, she was your world.”

Tears were sliding down the witch’s cheeks again. She had picked out her sugar cubes and was stirring her tea, trying to absorb what the brothers were telling her.

“Rowena. Please.” Sam pleaded. “You need to understand, if we had known that this Charlie was going to want to come to our universe, we would have warned you. We would…”

“Enough!” Rowena slammed her spoon on the table. “The point is she’s here, innit?” She delicately wiped at her eyes. “I guess I’ll be leaving.”

Both Sam and Dean protested immediately.

“You are more than welcome here Ro.” Sam gently rubbed her back.

Dean reached across the table and took her hand. “Rowena, we’re not asking you to leave. You always have a home here. We want you to be comfortable.”

“I’m not gonna ask the lass to leave, because she reminds me of…” Rowena’s voice cracked, her emotions getting the best of her. “I lost mine.”

Dean stood up and joined his brother in embracing Rowena. From the doorway to the kitchen, a petite redhead quietly walked away from the scene she had watched unfold in front of her.

***

Mary and Castiel had made short work of getting the alternate universe hunters set up in the plentiful rooms of the bunker. It would be up to Sam, Dean and Ketch to make guides for them to know what to expect in this foreign universe. But that would have to wait. Tonight, they wanted to celebrate. They had taken care of two issues in one fell swoop. They had escaped Michael and trapped Lucifer.

Rowena sat in the corner, nursing a glass of wine. She was proud that she had helped these people, the brothers having corrupted her into being a good person, and she allowed herself to relax a little bit.

Until the flash of familiar red came up to her. “I never did get to thank you properly, did I?”

Rowena closed her eyes tightly and swallowed. She tried willing her heart to calm, but the fact that this woman even sounded identical was akin to a wicked poison seeping through her veins. “There’s nothin’ ta thank me for lass. ‘Twas the brothers who did all the work.”

“But it was your spell work that got them to us, kept the rift open, and got us here.”

“Aye.” Rowena forced herself to smile as she looked at the alternate Charlie. The memories of the last time with her dove haunting her. “Is there anything else ye be needin’?”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“The pain I’m bringing you. I’m not her. But clearly she meant a lot to you.”

Rowena crossed her arms, adjusting her wine glass carefully to not spill it. She tried to speak, but words wouldn’t come.

“Dean told me quite a bit about her, but he didn’t tell me about you. To be fair, I didn’t really give either of them a chance to warn me what would happen if I came back here with them.” Charlie leaned back against the nearby console. “I may have overheard your conversation with Sam and Dean earlier. I was looking for the restroom and got lost. This place is huge, and I’m rambling.”

Rowena huffed out a small chuckle.

“Basically, what I’m saying is that I don’t want you to feel like you have to leave. I’m the one intruding. A lot. I saw excitement from Sam and Dean when I said I was coming back also, and then a flash of concern. They were going to tell me something, but they were pulled away and I was busy organizing people to leave. I thought the concern was how they were going to get so many people back.” She carded her fingers through her hair, Rowena recognizing the familiar tic. “I promise to leave as soon as I learn what’s going on in this universe.”

“No!” Rowena finally found her voice. “I wouldna let my dove do that, and I won’ let ye be doin’ that either.” Rowena looked towards Sam and Dean. “I know that ye aren’ our Charlie. I see it in the way ye stand. In the way ye carry yerself.” Rowena sighed. “It’ll take some time, but I cannae send ye away. My Charlie would never forgive me.”

“Then we’re both staying? Because if you leave, I’ll leave. And you won’t be here to stop me.”

“Bollocks, yer just like her too.” Rowena buried her face in her free hand. “Fine.”

Charlie extended her hand. “My name is Charlie Bradbury.”

Rowena hesitantly took it. “Rowena. Rowena Macleod.”

“I’m looking forward to getting to know you Rowena.”


End file.
